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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

It's been a while since I've written something about ASUS, but this looks interesting enough.

They just released the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe. It's one of the most promising phone brands already and we've seen how successful they've been with the release of the Zenfone 2 Laser and it's predecessors a few years back. When they released the ZenFone 3 series, they dubbed it worthy enough to put out a Deluxe version with the highest specifications they could put in on their newest flagship phone. Design wise, they've completely built it with an all aluminum alloy making it more premium looking and polished. The screen to body ratio is at 79% which I think is extremely sufficient enough for the quite small phone (although it comes in a 5.7 and 5.5 inch variant). One of the things they also added is the fingerprint sensor at the back, which could unlock the phone in a few milliseconds. They also utilize a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 octa core processor and a desktop grade GPU, 6GB of RAM, 2x2 MIMO WiFi capability and a hefty 256GB storage. I personally haven't tested that yet but it looks like first owners have already expressed they're quite happy with their units.

The Zenfone 3 Deluxe also has a ginormous 23MP Sony Exmor RS Back Camera and an IMX318 image sensor, so for photography enthusiasts, they could satisfy you with the f 2.0 aperture if you want to work with that. It can also shoot 4K UHD video, so if you're worried you can't use that big storage you already have with the phone, you've got lots of videos to fill that up. I also saw their image stabilization technology called EIS during the show a couple of months back, it focuses quite fast without much effort. Shaky hands would be okay with it. Maybe I'd ask my friends if the photography performance would be at par, or exceedingly great because I've seen some pretty good ones already out there.

It's won at the CES 2017 Innovation Awards, so that alone is impressive. It costs Php 34,995 for the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.7 variant while the ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.5 size costs Php 22,995. It's available now at authorized dealers, their newly opened concept stores and online shops nationwide!

Might have to ask for a review unit soon as I have not personally tested this yet, but specs wise, it looks promising.

Oh and P.S. they've got a promo out for those who want to get these handsets. You're gonna get powered quite handy too with these ZenPower Ultra and Pro! So I think you may have to get one after you receive your Christmas bonuses.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

It's a fun afternoon at Trinoma and what a great way to start the holiday cheers but by a concert with the music of STING. An icon in the 80's he's proven how good music can take you anywhere, making him one of the most awarded songwriters and singer of all time. It's entitled "I GOT STUNG" and is composed of two acts, one of which is headed by STEPS DANCE PROJECT the events division of Steps Dance Studio. The company also benefits talented Filipino dancers, make them scholars no matter what economic background they come from. Aside from patrons, we also saw street children in the audience, perhaps the production's way of getting them involved in the arts.

The musical director Mon Faustino and his band provided really good renditions of Sting's awesome music. We were hooked from the first song. With world class ballet and jazz dance performers, it was easy, smooth to note that Filipinos can do this in any stage. They also had guest performers from New York Jamal and Aubrey, teaching us a thing or two how it's done in other parts of the world, it was stunning!

Towards the end of the show, Sam Milby sang a couple of songs, the one with the dancer from New York was Roxanne, super touching. SOS Children's Village and Pushcart Foundation I think will also be getting proceeds from the show. Truly noble deed starting the season of giving no?! Ahh I could see the ladies already swooning to Sam Milby's songs, he even went out and got personally romantic with them!

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This is just the start, there are more things to look forward to at Ayala Malls, especially in TriNoMa. You're gonna #LovEmThisChristmas!

Beep beep! Beep Beep! My phone starts that way every morning telling my I'm already late for an event or I'm waking up so late from writing in the wee hours of the morning. I was wondering, or hoping, that the text would actually be from my ex (whom I saw in the MRT a few weeks ago I mean OMG btw looking so gorgeous!) but NO. It's just a text from SMART. Not that I'm wishing for it to be her all the time, because who doesn't want LOVE these days? Especially when each and every time you see that Facebook status or that Tweet or that Instagram post, there's always bound to be something about LOVE that they always have to talk about (Oh yes I've seen your HUGOT status! Don't deny it!). Well I read the text that came from SMART that morning and found out, hey... it's #SmartLove! What? Smart Love?

Every week? I'm getting a chance to go to a concert in Singapore, Indonesia, places in the world for FREE? Crazy right? Aside from that, they mentioned discounts from online stores like Zalora, Tackatack, free Facebook, Free Instagram and a whole lot more! Now how in the world can this be free? Is it a gift? How do I join? Simple, you just check your text message like I did. Register according to the instructions and just lounge around your home, your office, your vacation and let the sunshine in. Feel the #SmartLove!

Oh and the fun doesn't end there, they'll be giving out prizes every week to lucky Smart Postpaid and Prepaid subscribers. If you see the video, it looks like the promo is running til next year! Isn't that just good news? I know! I'm joining this by hook or by crook!

It looks like Star Cinema is gearing for another blockbuster movie as they release ahead of Christmas this Coco Martin and Vice Ganda starrer called "The Super Parental Guardians". This movie was written by Danno Mariquit and Alpha Habon and Directed by Bb. Joyce Bernal.

It's the love hate relationship of Arci and Paco, who were given the task of taking care of their bestfriend's children Megan and Ernie (played by Awra and Onyok) as her last dying wish. They become unsuspecting parents of the kids and it just becomes a riot.

Here's a video clip of our interview with the good looking Coco Martin!

I've been working on videos all day and might have maximized my connections resources because it wasn't getting my games connected at all when I upload videos over wifi. My primary phone with the LTE connection would have proven to be a great lifesaver but my phone's battery was dead and I might need to charge that for a few minutes before it would work. My other iPhone was okay but I'm sure iPhone owners can attest it's so hard to transfer sim cards from one phone to the other when I don't have that pin around :(

I felt helpless today. But then I remembered I have a spare LTE Prepaid SIM card from SMART that I've been keeping since a few weeks ago. I bought it from the Smart Store in Megamall and figured I might need this for my other phones at home when my brother or relatives come home and need it temporarily.

Was it fate? Was it just at the right place at the right time? I don't think so. That moment that I decided to buy that LTE SIM Card just means I was actually preparing for this moment, that when I need it... I know I already have one at home and I'm so glad I tried it. As soon as I subscribed to a GIGA SURF Promo here.

I got myself 1 GB of data to upload all the videos I need to work with. I also got additional 300MB which I could use for iflix, YouTube, Spinnr, Vimeo, Dailymotion and Dubsmash without counting it against my Giga plan. Oh and that's not all, because as soon as I knew about that, I was also informed through text that I have 1 Full Day Access to ABS CBN's iWant TV. I got that for a measly 50 pesos and it's already valid for 3 Days. I only texted the keyword GIGA50 to 9999 to get that. Isn't that a smart move?

Oh! How I love my Smart LTE Prepaid Sim! I only used a few minutes and got all of them lovely videos on Youtube already! Badabing badaboom!

Saturday, November 26, 2016

We got first dibs at SHABURI, the newly opened Shabu Shabu Restaurant in Manila. It's located at the 4th Floor Uptown Mall in BGC and has been soft opened since September. I've been dreading to see this place since they opened but had tons of events in between. The place is owned by Cecille Zamora-Van Straten (Ms. C aka Chuvaness) and her good looking husband Chef Jeroen Van Straten. It was also my first time Chef Jeroen so I was a little starstruck hehe. Now I was thinking this is going to be a little splurge because of the fact that it is an All You Can Eat Wagyu restaurant but there's actually something good about the meat that they're serving. Beef as we all know is rich in protein but aside from that it's got iron, amino acids, zinc and is good for growing kids and improvement of physical and brain function. It's also got Vitamin B, B2 and B12 for beauty, skin care and your hair. Now isn't that enough reason to have good meat? I'll tell you more!

The Interiors

The place was absolutely Japanese. I'm not talking Tatami mats and paper panels, but more of the use of wood, bamboo, glass panels because I think they prioritized privacy among other things. I remember this unspoken rule in Japanese restaurants which was against double dipping things on sauces and containers (which I almost did OMG!) so in each seat in this restaurant, you've got your own pot and induction stove built in on the tables. The color scheme is pretty much classic whites, blacks, wood.

I also LOVE the light fixtures. Everything looked so bright and it's conducive to looking at the face of who you're talking to. Date place? Yes, if you're already in the phase that you're so comfortable to pig out without judging each other, because chances are you are bound to do that here! Ha-ha!

I think that is Vice Mayor Zamora on the far left table. You'll also be seeing celebrities here I'm sure.

Oh and before I forget, aside from Coke, they've got Coffee, iced teas, and a full blown soft Ice Cream machine (it's on the left of the Coke Machine but didn't catch it on the frame) on site. They've got mugs too so if you're in the mood for Rootbeer Float, go ahead and do that. They also have chocolate syrup, sprinkles, more chocolate and caramel too.

They also accept major credit cards so you don't have to lug around a ton of cash when you plan to dine at Shaburi. The 4th Floor is also accessible from the outside escalator if you are coming from the Uptown Mall Fountain or coming from the Valkyrie area. It's just beside Buffalo Wild Wings and mobile phone shops in the area.

Oh, let's talk about the food... glorious food!

The Food

So before I do show you some of the food items that are inside SHABURI I feel I should show you this video first. There's actually a system in doing the Japanese buffet that you should know about. My friendly server Wendy explained to me how it's done so please pay attention or just replay the video if you miss things :)

So as mentioned earlier, you control the heat of this induction cooker by controlling the levels. P1 for simmering, P5 is the highest if you want to boil faster. I chose P1 because I wasn't in a hurry LOL!

I chose the Spicy Miso because I love everything with a kick. I've seen almost everyone order the Original Konbu (I hear it's highly recommended) but they've also got other broth bases like Sukiyaki, the Soy Milk Miso and the Chicken Collagen Paitan which is said to be good on your skin. We need that!

There are tons of fresh vegetables but what I put on my plate was the Bok Choi, the Spinach, White Onions, Onion Leeks, and about 3 kinds of Mushrooms.

The mushrooms bring the soup to another level, like it makes it more earthy, and adds a bit more crunch to your already big vegetable serving simmering in the broth.

They have Papaya, Melon and Pineapples when I was there. I wish I had more room for these aside from the meats I had this evening LOL!

Included in the buffet are Japanese fried favorites like wings, Karaage, Gyudon, Vegetable Tempura, and Fries.

Crazy Melt in Your Mouth Wagyu Beef!

The price of the Buffet basically depends on the meat you want to have. It ranges from Php 499 (I think this is during lunch) up to Php 1,599. The prices also differ for kids, so yes you can include them too! If you want to have dinner on weekends and holidays and have the Special Wagyu, Shaburi Wagyu, Special Beef, Tasty Beef and Tender Pork, or would like to reserve a table or two, you may call them at +632 9782481, +632 8052932 or +639177083930.

If you would like to also do small parties, they have separate areas for that. Just let them know. Oh and before I forget, they also serve Asahi and San Mig Light for those who want a beer or two while they're having dinner. I saw the people at the other table getting drunk! Ha-ha!

This was when the server made me a dip. It was good, so if you don't want the fuss, ask the friendly server and they can help you if you can't make up your mind.

My first serving, including the Special Wagyu (rightmost meat). I wanna go back already!

Do not forget that they also have desserts on the buffet. I chose to put soft ice cream (Vanilla and Chocolate) plus a drizzle of Caramel Syrup. I was a happy boy!

I am so glad to have experienced SHABURI. I didn't know how much I ate (okay I do) but for all that, I didn't feel anything oily, just nourished. I suppose you could call this one of the most awesome places to eat if you very much want VALUE FOR MONEY. The premium meats alone cost a fortune so you're pretty much already getting what you spent for in a couple of servings. The place is clean, the servers are well trained, and the food is glorious. You should try it out if you're in the area. Or if you are celebrating with friends, family and work people, this would be the perfect place to do it. Fresh vegetables, fresh seafood, crunchy karaage, lovely gyudon, scrumptious sushi, unlimited dessert and drinks, what more can you ask for?

Thanks Ms. C for inviting me. I had a feast, and even from a person who lives in QC it was all worth the trip to BGC! I'm going back there for more real soon! SHABURI is again located at the 4th Floor of UPTOWN MALL in BGC. Oh and you just wait, they're planning to open 10 more stores real soon. How convenient would that be if you had it in a mall nearby no?

Friday, November 25, 2016

M Barbers is located at the 3rd Floor of B Hotel at Scout Rallos in Quezon City. I've been here once during the launch but I wasn't able to try any of their services. So when the opportunity came to go back to the barbershop presented itself, I went and hurried to get my hair cut and colored since it's been a while that I've done that. Now this isn't your run of the mill community barbershop because it's a little upscale, but priced quite fairly. Skill wise, you won't be asking too much because once you get to sit on the chair, just let them know what you want to do and they'll take care of you. Otherwise, you can ask them for recommendations on what style actually fits you. M Barbers is part of the Jing Monis hair empire and they've been doing this for ages, for show business people, models, so an ordinary joe like me would just love that no?!

Aside from the usual hair cut and color, they've got grooming services but I didn't go through that anymore as I know it would actually take time to fix my hair. I've been getting my hair literally tied up lately because I couldn't actually manage it. Senior Stylist Edwin Espanto suggested I get the back side of my hair shaped into a V so I won't be seeing too much fuss when I'm brushing my hair and styling it a particular way. I was also shampooed and pampered by Alex Padolina then sent over for Color by Ritchie Pactor. They know what they're doing, I could actually tell because as I was suited up, not one drop of water actually landed on my shirt, nor did one speck of hair was left on my head and neck area. That tells a lot if you're doing the job right, and M Barbers delivered on that.

So after bleaching, waiting a bit, choosing a light color, waiting, blow dry and a bit of styling, they got my hair look good. Now I know, this looks high maintenance but as it turns out, I could actually just wash and wear this one today. It still looks like a million bucks, and I thought the color was good too. I'm wearing it proudly for an event later!

It takes a whole village to make this hair look good, trust me I know. Now that I've got M Barbers near my house (this is located near the Tomas Morato and Timog district) I'll have someone save me from the stress of getting my hair fixed the way I like it. Thanks M Barbers and Jing Monis!

Here's my adventure on video, hope you enjoy!

Again, M Barbers is located at the B Hotel in Scout Rallos in Quezon City. It's very near Saint Paul the Apostle Parish or the intersection of Mother Ignacia and Timog Avenue. You may call them for appointments via +639173148533 or inquire via their channels below. Thank you so much to Ms. Rain and Myke Soon for hooking us up, and THE Jing Monis for having us! I love my hair!